Body Area: Arms / Hands

Body Parts: Palm

Symptoms: Cold Hands

Description:
Normally the tissue separating the left and right ventricles is solid, with no opening connecting the 2 chambers directly. Sometimes, when the heart is developing in utero and the septum is forming, it does not close completely, and a defect exists between the 2 chambers which may ultimately cause problems. Though many ventricular septal defects will close on their own (especially if they are small), many will not and will have to be closed. This can sometimes be done with a catheter, though, more often than not, open-heart surgery is required so that a man-made patch can be sewn over the defect.